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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28396539">Conspire to Ignite</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elri/pseuds/Elri'>Elri</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Wonder Woman (Movies - Jenkins), Wonder Woman - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, First Meetings, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:40:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,011</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28396539</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elri/pseuds/Elri</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lost souls have a way of coming together</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Charlie/Sameer (Wonder Woman)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Conspire to Ignite</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/danielfaradays/gifts">danielfaradays</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy Birthday Kaye!</p><p>Prompt: Starlight</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When Sami was little, his sister had taken him up onto the roof and told him that if he listened very </span>
  <span>very</span>
  <span> carefully, he might hear the stars singing to each other. Looking back, he’s pretty sure it was a trick to get him to sit still and be quiet, but he’d carried that little white lie with him ever since. It was kinder than some of the other lies in his life, including ones he’d told himself. And it gave him something to focus on besides his own mind when things got just a little too quiet at night.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The breeze made him shiver and threatened to put out the slowly dying fire. Sami kept telling himself he needed to put another log on but doing so meant uncurling from the bundle of blanket and coat he’d wrapped himself in. And it was very, very cold.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He forced himself to look away from the fire and up towards the stars. The twinkling infinite was so much more expansive out here, he almost felt like he could fall up into it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Listen carefully, Sameer</span>
  </em>
  <span>, the memory of his sister’s voice echoed in his mind and he closed his eyes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Do you hear it?</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Evenin’.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Sami's eyes flew open to find a man standing across the fire from him. The abruptness of his arrival caught Sami so off guard he couldn’t find the words to respond as he tried to figure out if he needed to go for a weapon or not.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The man didn’t seem to notice as he smiled and gestured towards the fire. “Mind if I join you? It's a bit cold out tonight.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Have a seat.” The words were out before Sami could really think about them, but his hand had already found the hilt of his knife and he’d loosened the bundle enough he would be able to move if he needed to. Besides, the man was about the same size as a broomstick, and wearing a kilt. Sami couldn’t find it in himself to turn someone away from some warmth.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you. I’m Charlie, by the way.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Sami.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Pleasure.” Charlie picked up one of the logs Sami had gathered earlier and carefully placed it on the fire. After a little bit of poking the sputtering embers were back on their way to being a proper fire. “That’s more like it. Not so bad out here when you can feel your toes. Or your face, at least,” </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m pretty sure this isn’t what people mean when they say you have to be careful or your face is going to freeze,” Sami agreed, coming a little further out of his cocoon </span>
  <span>as</span>
  <span> the warmth from the fire reached closer.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Charlie chuckled, “Probably not, no.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Part of Sami wanted to ask where Charlie had come from, and what he was doing out there in the middle of wilderness (and how he’d managed to sneak up on Sami), but he held his tongue. He didn’t really know how to answer those questions himself, so he’d do his companion the service of mutual respect for privacy. </span>
  <span>Instead</span>
  <span> he watched Charlie watch the fire. It wasn’t the look of a man idly enjoying a calming sight, there was a fascination in his eyes at each flicker and spark. Between the reflection in Charlie’s eyes and the bright color of his hair it was almost like he was made of fire himself. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You far from home too?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The question was just loud enough to break the stillness of the moment and startle Sami out of his musing. Charlie didn’t look up, but Sami could see the shadow of sadness that had crept into his face.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t realize it would be so lonely down here.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Sami almost thought he’d misheard. Surely Charlie had said ‘out here.’ “How do you mean?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Millions of people. Should be a lot.” Charlie looked up at the stars. “But it isn’t, is it?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe not. But sometimes, when you’re with the right person -or people- you don’t need that many.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Charlie didn’t say anything. He closed his eyes for a moment, almost like he was listening the same way Sami had been, before opening them and meeting Sami’s gaze across the fire.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, for sharing your fire.” Charlie started to rise, “I should get going, don’t want to overstay.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t mind,” Sami said quickly. “That is, you wouldn’t be. Please, stay.” It was an invitation, and a plea. “It’s too </span>
  <span>quiet</span>
  <span> out here. I would appreciate the company.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Charlie settled back down and gave Sami a thankful smile. “Not sure how much company I can be. I've heard people share stories around the fire, but I don’t really know any. And I've never been very good at telling them.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You could sing.” He was mostly joking, but Charlie turned back to the stars with a searching look. There was an answer he was trying to find, and Sami didn’t dare interrupt.  </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Aye,” He finally said. He gave Sami a quiet, happy smile. “I can do that.</span>
  
</p><p><span>I'll walk beside you through the world tonight</span> <br/>
<span>Beneath the starry skies ablaze with light</span> <br/>
<span>Within your soul love's tender </span><span>words</span><span> I'll hide</span> <br/>
<span>I'll walk beside you through the eventide”</span></p><p>
  <span>Charlie’s voice carried through the night. It was a little rough, like he hadn’t used it in a while, but it was confident and clear. Sami could almost swear that in the echo around them he heard other voices joining in. An infinite chorus. They didn’t sing with the mastery of trained professionals, but they sang with love and laughter. It was the most beautiful thing he’d ever heard.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>As the song faded out, Sami felt sleep threatening to take over. He knew that when he woke up it would be morning, and the stars would be long faded in the sunlight. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Will you stay?” </span>
  <em>
    <span>For more than tonight.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>"I’ll be here.” Charlie promised.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>As Sami drifted off, he heard Charlie start humming a new tune. His was the only voice this time, but it was enough for Sami.</span>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Title from Starlight by Muse</p></blockquote></div></div>
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